Lopes take 5-set battle against Bobcats

Friday, August 26

Bozeman, Mont.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0,0-0WAC

Montana State

0-2,0-0Big Sky

Grand Canyon

Montana St.

Photo by: Zach Campbell

8/26/2022 10:20:00 PM | Volleyball

Box Score

Taflinger matches career high with 24 kills for 2nd win of day

By: Adrianna Candelaria

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Grand Canyon concludes its first day of the Bobcat Classic at 2-0 after a five-set match against Montana State on Friday night.

Graduate student outside hitter Megan Taflinger matched her career high with 24 kills while senior setter Klaire Mitchell posted 56 assists and 19 digs for the Lopes.

"I'm happy to get a road win," GCU head coach Tim Nollan said. "I think we had good moments and showed some grit, but we have plenty to work on next week".

Dropping the first set 25-19 gave the Lopes some early perspective, as they entered the second set with a fire in their eyes. However, the Bobcats returned to the court ready to fight as well. The teams posted nine tied scores and five lead changes throughout the set. A 20-20 tie was broken with five consecutive Lopes points on Taflinger's serve, including two aces, to even the playing field at 1-1.

With 11 ties and only two lead changes in the third frame, GCU steadily built momentum to claim the third set 25-15. The Lopes broke open their 11-9 lead with an 8-2 run that began with a Taflinger kill.

It seemed as though the Lopes might clinch the match in four frames, but seven service errors, including one at 24-24, allotted Montana State the advantage and sent the match to five sets with a 26-24 final score.

But it was GCU that rose to the occasion in the fifth set, lunging ahead 15-11, and handing Montana State their second 3-2 loss of the day. Montana State had tightened GCU's lead to 8-7 when Taflinger gave the Lopes three consecutive points on two kills and a block. Senior middle blocker Hannah Eskes ended the match with her ninth kill.

In addition to Taflinger's career-high 24 kills and nine digs, GCU's other graduate outside hitter, Melanie Brecka, added 13 kills on .480 hitting with eight digs.

GCU will need to come into Saturday physically and mentally well-rested if it wants to perform its best against San Francisco, which rallied from losing the first two sets earlier Friday to beat Montana State. The Lopes' final Bobcat Classic match starts at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time).